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The Howard Center for Human Services First Call for Children and Families |
To contact
First Call |
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The Howard Center for Human Services First Call for Children and Families |
To contact
First Call |
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THE SEVENTH PRINCIPLE BALANCED LIVING IN A VERY HURRIED-UP WORLD The demands of our fast-paced, stressed-out society often make balanced living a difficult goal. There are apparent, never-ending, well-advertised demands for more and more material consumption. In fact, our level of consumption often supports a socially accepted self-esteem and social status. We are often other-directed, depending upon other people to make us satisfied and happy. Such socially supported demands are even more influential on our children; they are growing up in a world that bases self-esteem and human dignity upon material wealth. Love, compassion, charity and humanity do not count as much as conspicuous consumption. Although we have real emotional needs in a materialistic society, we must work hard at discovering balance. Our modeling is an important learning experience for our children. We model via our own behavior what is most important -- the number and value of our possessions OR personal love, health and happiness. It will be difficult to master this principle. It will be even more important to practice mastery of this principle.
HELPFUL HINTS IN THE DISCOVERY OF BALANCE 1. Make a list of your daily activities by placing them under either "functions" or "bliss." Functions are required: work, school, family and home care, chores, tasks, etc. Bliss is whatever makes you feel positive or happy. List the number of hours per day spent in each category. 2. If you have some level of balance that is acceptable to you, be happy and continue! 3. If you feel that your list and life are out of balance, experiment a little at a time with adding small blissful activities to your day. Do you feel better? Are you able to be more mindful? 4. Sometimes you can shift a function into a bliss simply by using your mind to reinterpret (reframe) its more positive or common characteristics. For example, take pride in something you do as a function, or seek pleasure in certain aspects of your work. Are there specific positive characteristics in your functions that you never noticed before? 5. In a reality-based world and family system, there will be more functions we need to do than blissful experiences. What really matters most is how you experience things. Practice becoming more mindful of the details of your positive life experiences. This alone may help to make your life more blissful, more happy. 6. Once you have imperfectly perfected a more balanced life, teach the skill to your child. Help him/her look forward to each day's simple pleasures and challenges; remember, the challenges can also be interpreted as opportunities. |
